Fountain-pen.



Patented June 30, 1914.

CZZTZJZI? WWW CARL J. BENZ, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

FOUNTAIN-PEN.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented. June 30, 1914.

Application filed September 19, 1913. Serial N0. 790,602.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CARL J. BENZ, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fountain-Pens, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

This invention relates to fountain pens, and has for its object to simplify the construction of the retractile pen-section type of fountain pen, reduce the number of parts, eliminate all screw threads, provide for a circulation of air in the cap when the pen is closed, simplify the operation of opening and closing the pen, and reduce its cost of manufacture.

The invention will be first hereinafter described in connection with the accompanying drawings, which constitute a part of this specification, and then more specifically set forth in the claims at the end of the description.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein similar reference characters are used to designate corresponding parts throughout the several views: Figure 1 is a longitudinal central sectional view of a pen constructed in accordance with this invention, the pen being shown in closed position with the cap on, as when it is to be carried in the pocket for instance. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the pen open, part of the cap, which is now placed on the other end of the sliding sleeve, being broken away. Fig. 3 is an enlarged under plan view of the pen-carrying end of the retractile rod, showing more particularly how the pen point is attached to said rod. Fig. i is an end view of the parts shown in Fig. 3, and Fig. 5 is a plan view of the same part-s.

The pen consists of three essential parts, namely a hollow barrel, a retractile part carrying the pen point, and a cap for closing the end of the barrel when the pen point is retracted, said cap being designed to be slipped onto the other end of the barrel when the pen is in use. The barrel 1 is hollow throughout and has a reduced portion 2 at one end with an opening through it of uniform diameter, as at 3. The other end of the barrel is fitted with a cork or other suitable material 4: having an opening 5 into which the retractile rod 6 snugly fits. Said rod is firmly secured at one end to the sliding sleeve 7 preferably by means of a staple 8 driven in between the end of the rod and a lining 9 of cork or other suitable material in. the end of the sleeve. It will be observed that the extremity of the sleeve is the same size or diameter as the reduced portion 2 of the barrel, in order that the cap may be fitted on said end of the sleeve when the pen is in use, as illustrated in Fig. 2. The main portion of the sleeve is made large enough to slidably fit over the barrel. The lining 9 is extended into the larger part of thesleeve, as at 9 in order to preventleakage between the ends of the rod and sleeve. The rod 6 extends throughout the barrel when the pen is open and ready for use, as shown inFig. 2, the pen being projected beyond the reduced portion2 of the barrel in this position. The movement of the rod outwardly to this open position is limited by the end of the barrel coming in contact with the transverse portion of the lining 9*, while the inward movement of said rod to the closed position shown in Fig. 1 is limited by an integral collar or stop 10 on the rod, which stop is designed to strike the cork 4- in the end of the barrel, it being understood that this cork is firmly fitted in the barrel so that it is not liable to be ejected when the rod is retracted by grasping the barrel in one hand and the sleeve in the other and moving them in opposite directions for this purpose.

The free end of the rod 6 is enlarged at 11 and has an encircling groove 12, preferably angular in cross-section, about midway of its length. The pen point or nib 13 is attached to said enlarged part of the rod by forming notches 14; at opposite edges of said nib and depressing or forcing them into the groove 12. The nib has a feeding strip 15 extending along its upper face and permanently attached thereto so as to constitute one piece with the nib. This feeding strip may be round in cross-section except at the end near the point of the nib where it is flattened, as clearly illustrated in Figs. 4; and 5. Its inner end may project beyond the enlarged part of the rod into the ink reservoir of the barrel. The enlarged part 11 of the rod, together with the nib and its feeding strip constitute an adequate closure for the opening 3 in the reduced portion of the barrel in both the opened and the closed position of the pen, there being just sutficient space between these parts to permit a proper flow of the ink from the barrel to the point of the nib when the pen is in use. lVhen the pen is closed and the nib retracted, the end portion of the enlarged part 11 of the rod still remains as a stopper for the end of the barrel.

In case some of the ink is discharged from the barrel through its reduced portion 2 and around the enlargement 11, due to careless handling when the pen is closed, it will be prevented from leaking out by the cap 16 which is fitted with a cork or pad 17 adapted to close the opening 3 in the reduced portion 2 of the barrel, as shown in Fig. l. lhe cork or pad 17 may have a perforation l8 registering with a hole 19 in the end of the cap to allow a certain amount of air to enter and circulate in the cap for the purpose of evaporating any ink which does get past the enlargement 11 when the pen is closed.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the nib may be projected into position for use or retracted into the barrel by simply grasping the barrel in one hand and the sleeve in the other hand and moving them in opposite directions to accomplish the desired result. The cap should of course be removed from the reduced portion 2 of the barrel before attempting to project the nib. As already stated, when the pen is in use, the cap may be placed on the reduced end of the sleeve. When it becomes necessary to substitute a new nib for the old one, the rod may be readily taken out of the barrel after removing the staple 8 with some pointed instrument in an obvious manner.

The extreme simplicity of construction and reduced number of parts are at once apparent, and the liability of the pen getting out of order is accordingly greatly decreased. It will be understood, however, that changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the spirit or sacrificing the advantages of my invention. I, therefore, reserve the right to make such changes as fairly fall within the terms of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a fountain pen, the combination with a barrel, of a rod arranged in the barrel and having an encircling groove at one end, a nib on said end of the rod with portions depressed into locking engagement with said groove, and means for sliding the rod in the barrel for projecting and retracting the nib.

2. In a fountain pen, the combination with a barrel, of a rod arranged in the barrel and provided with a transverse groove near one end, a nib on said end of the rod with portions depressed into locking engagement with said groove, and means for sliding the rod in the barrel for projecting and retracting the nib.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two attesting witnesses.

CARL J. BENZ. lVitnesses C. F. W'HITESIDE, WM. M. CHRISTIE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of latents. Washington, D. G. 

